A coroner’s inquest will be held next week into the death of a patient waiting for care in a New Brunswick emergency department.
Donald Darrell Mesheau died in the emergency department waiting room at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton last July.
Tuesday’s news release from the Department of Justice announcing the inquest was the first time Mesheau has been identified publicly.
His death, and the public outcry that followed, led to a major shakeup within the province’s healthcare system.
Three days after Mesheau’s death, the premier replaced Dorothy Shephard as health minister, fired Dr. John Dornan as president and CEO of Horizon Health, and dumped the boards of the regional health authorities.
“I’m prepared to do whatever is necessary to protect and improve the health care system in our province,” Premier Blaine Higgs said at the time.
“I have no doubt that every New Brunswicker and all of our healthcare workers are saddened and concerned by this story. We all want to know that when we go to the hospital, we will receive the help we need.”
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Witness John Staples was in the emergency room on the night in question and recalled seeing a man in a wheelchair for several hours “in obvious discomfort.”
Staples said the man “seemed to go to sleep” and was later checked on by an ER attendant, who noticed he had stopped breathing.
“I looked at the gentleman and noticed that there was no rise and fall of the chest and abdomen, so I knew at that point he had passed,” Staples said in an interview in the days following the man’s death.
Staples shared the story on social media in hopes of raising awareness of the struggles in the province’s health care system.
The inquest into Mesheau’s death will take place in Fredericton from May 29 to June 2.
The presiding coroner and a jury will hear evidence from witnesses to determine the facts surrounding Mesheau’s death.
Jurors can make recommendations to prevent similar deaths in the future but do not make any finding of legal responsibility.
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